Exclusive: Everton defender in advanced talks to join north-west club

Jones, who has come through the ranks at Everton, is well down the pecking order at Goodison Park and could move on in search of regular first-team football.

The full-back has been a regular for Everton’s Under-23s side, but he has only played one minute of first-team football in a Europa League clash against Krasnodar in December 2014.

The emergence of Jonjoe Kenny this season has increased competition for places at right-back even more and Everton are willing to let Jones move on.

Jones did impress during a successful spell on loan at Barnsley in the Championship last season and a number of clubs have been monitoring his situation at Everton.

However, a well-placed source has told Football Insider that north-west based League One outfit Fleetwood have stolen a march on their rivals in the race for Jones and are in advanced talks with Everton over the Australian-born defender.

Despite being born in Australia, Jones has represented and captained Wales at Under-16, Under-17, Under-18 and Under-21 levels and he is the understudy to Chris Gunter in the Wales senior team.